44. Real
I worked to keep my face straight as Love’s hard-headed ass looked back at me. I could hear most of her conversation with Prime, even though I pretended to be oblivious. I was sick of Heath McKinley. Her granddaddy was right; I needed to shoot his ass. But oh, no, she’d probably have a fit about that.
I looked down at the phone, still waiting for Markel to pick up. It went to his voicemail. I disconnected and called Juvie. I swear I didn’t feel like hearing this fool’s mouth, but he was as capable of handling business as any old head. He had a ruthless streak that popped out whenever needed. I blew out a breath as he answered.
“Fuck y’all at?” I demanded.
“Good afternoon, and how you doing, Mr. Boss Man? Yo’ manners are impeccable—" he started.
“Julien.”
“I ate all that good ass food this afternoon—swear we gotta get these people together with Mama Rachel. My ass gon’ have a recurring role on ‘My 600-Pound Life’ fucking with y’all.”
“Julien!”
“Okay! I got ready to wash it all down and Granny and PawPaw ain’t even have no Sunny D. How am I supposed to have brunch with no Sunny D? How can I make a decent mimosa? The agony!” he whined dramatically.
“You gotta grab yo’ chest,” I heard Markel direct his silly ass. “Maybe let one tear drop.”
“From the corner of my eye or let it roll down my cheek slowly?”
I rubbed my temple and sighed.
“Juvie, for one, you ain’t old enough for no mimosa?—"
“Shiii. I ain’t old enough for these trees Markel be providing either, but I done smoked a forest of that good today! I’m feeling higher than a?—"
“For two, they had orange juice.”
“Sunny D just gives that little something extra, OG,” he insisted.
“What? Extra sugar and extra food coloring?” I asked wryly.
“And it be bussin’!”
This was why this little nigga made me want to rock his shit. I was all off-topic.
“I need y’all to make a detour. I got an address.”
And just like that he was serious. I relayed my instructions carefully, glad to hear they were only two minutes away from their new destination. Targen walked up as I was talking. He didn’t say anything, just started texting.
“One thing shorty gon’ do is try you,” he said as I hung up.
“One thing shorty gon’ do is try to get somebody fucked up,” I corrected, moving toward the front yard.
I waited the few minutes it must’ve taken McKinley to drive down the farm road to the main house, giving Love her space, lulling her into thinking this shit was okay. Finally, he parked across the roadway and climbed out and Targen and I rounded the house. Theory was there a second later, and I paid them minor attention as he let his shorty know everything was good. Love was sitting on an Adirondack chair on the front porch, near her grandparents who slowly swished back in forth in rocking chairs. She stood when she saw me, her eyes flickering from me to the man striding across the yard like he was on a mission, still in his good church clothes. She stepped forward like she was going to go meet him, and I shook my head.
“Sit back down, Everly,” I said calmly, jogging up the steps to take the seat next to hers.
Her eyes narrowed as she shook her head. “No. Real?—"
She froze as I gave her a look. Shorty was stuck. She didn’t want to give in to me, but she didn’t want the possible consequences if she didn’t.
“He right. Let that man come to you. If he too scared, you ain’t got no business wit’ him,” her PawPaw said before turning his gaze on me. “Thought you was gon’ shoot his weak ass?”
“PawPaw!” Love gasped as Theory laughed softly.
I shrugged at him. “See? She be trippin’ just ‘cause I had to rumble with a few people. Don’t worry. You gon’ like my second chance at a first impression.”
My eyes went back to the yard. McKinley marched forward but did a double take when he saw me. He swallowed and then kept coming. I felt a smile split my face.
“You not winning no points with me, Hamilton. This man still walking while my grandson still limping,” Lee Earnest fussed.
“Targen threatened to shoot one of your grandsons, and you gave him a pat on the back,” I reminded him.
“Damn, you really just pushed me off the curb and right under that bus,” Targen muttered.
“He was protecting Theory. Everett was trying to make sure his sister wasn’t being taken advantage of,” justified Lee Earnest.
My jaw dropped. “ Taken advantage of ? She was about to take advantage of?—"
“ Montréal !” Love hissed. “Granny, please do something with your husband. Real, please… just… don’t.”
I looked up at her innocently. “What? You asked me to stop attacking people; I ain’t about to attack nobody.”
“Thank you,” she mumbled just as McKinley reached the steps. He looked at me warily as he ascended. I gave him a nod and stuck out my fist to dap him.
“‘Sup?”
He ignored my hand, and I found myself smiling again. Scary ass bitch.
“That must be that southern hospitality we hear so much about,” Targen quipped.
“Targen,” Theory chided softly.
McKinley pasted on a bright smile. Fake ass.
“Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Miller. We missed you at church this morning. Everly, could we go somewhere and?—"
“Nah. She can’t go nowhere,” I cut that shit off immediately.
She glared down at me. “Real.”
“You want me to maintain my composure? I’m trying, especially cuz yo’ people looking up here wondering why I ain’t knocked this boy head between yo’ grandparents’ rocking chairs.” I wasn’t lying. Everett and Prime, in particular, were slowly making their way closer, no doubt ready to break shit up. I wasn’t on that type of time today. “So, if you want me to keep this impressive composure intact, you better talk to the McKinley boy from right there.”
“I told you, I ain’t nobody’s boy,” he grew the balls to say.
Tilting my head, I nodded as if I understood. Just as he started to smirk, I sat forward, quick as fuck, and barked, “Boo!”
He stumbled back so fast that he almost fell down the steps. Lee Earnest snickered, and Granny swatted his hand. I sat back and glanced at a furious Love. “Continue.”
“Heath, I really appreciate your spending time with me these last few weeks. I’m not one to date, but I’m glad I let you take me out for a few pleasant evenings. But I have a… lingering issue from Texas?—"
Wait, had she really just made me sound like a STI? I mugged her wannabe diplomatic ass.
“—and I just think we should back up, slow down a little for now.”
A little? For now?
“All right, enough of this shit,” I said, standing.
As if on cue, McKinley’s phone vibrated loud enough to be heard through his suit jacket. He ignored it as he tried to find words to argue with Love. The phone stopped, then started right back.
“You should probably get that,” I suggested calmly.
He scowled at me before reaching inside his suit jacket.
“The fuck wears three-piece suits in Louisiana in the summer?” I mumbled.
“Weak ass boys. Been tryna tell you,” Lee Earnest groused.
“Mama? What’s up? I’m in the middle of?—"
“Heath, baby, you have friends over.”
His mother’s shaky voice was clear because she’d FaceTimed him, just as I had had Juvie instruct her.
“Move, McKinley boy’s mama. Let me talk,” that fool suddenly spoke up. “You need to go check on them greens, anyway. I’on smell no smoked meat, no peppers, nothing. You making collard greens? Put you a jalapeno in there. Change yo’ life.”
“Julien…”
Targen shook his head at me. “I tell you let that nigga stick to driving. You keep having bigger visions for his crazy ass, though,” he muttered.
“Ay, I heard that. Make me tell him how you tryna force me into one of them Alamo Community Colleges. Y’all got goals for a young king. Warms my heart. I?—"
“Julien!” I snapped.
“Sorry, OG. What’s up? You want me to take care of this situation permanently? I’m feeling pretty murderous already about how clear this water for these greens is. Lady, did you season?”
The disgust in Juvie’s voice made it almost impossible to keep a straight face, especially the way Lee Earnest was cackling, Mrs. McKinley was wailing, and the McKinley boy was swaying like he was ready to faint.
“You little delinquent. Quit harassing that woman,” Love hissed.
“Don’t be mad at me, Thickums. Her and the mister. was okay with me and Markel visiting. It’s this big ass white boy who staring at them and not saying shit that’s got them shook,” he whispered the last line.
I looked at Targen. He shrugged.
“Reinforcements. My annoying ass Pops paying him to be here. He might as well do something,” he said.
“Y-y-you ain’t gotta bring my family into this,” McKinley stammered.
“Oh, but I-I-I think I do. Some of yo’ senses seem like they ain’t working. You act like you didn’t see me or hear me . So, I had to make you feel me . And you keep on, I’ma use that sense and touch them ,” I said, pointing at the phone.
Juvie cleared his throat.
“Ay, OG, I don’t like the way this conversation going. All that’s left is smell and taste, and I know you ain’t —"
“Julien!” I growled.
“I swear he don’t value his life at all,” Markel piped up.
I looked at McKinley. “Even though I should off them for naming yo’ black ass ‘Heath,’ I’ma make you this offer. You stay away, and so will I.”
He swallowed audibly before nodding like a bobblehead.
“I accept. I accept,” he gobbled.
Love made a disgusted sound as I patted his shoulder. “Good job.”
“Ay, Granny! Save me some cake to go with my Sunny D,” Juvie hollered.
“I ain’t forgot that you called her ‘Thickums.’ You ain’t gon’ have no teeth to eat it,” I promised.
“Man, I swear y’all be trippin’ about these pet n—' he started to protest before I reached over and disconnected the call.
* * *
I strolled into the house, whistling softly as Love slammed her bedroom door. Just dramatic. It was clear in Texas that she was a little fiery, but Louisiana had her attitude on inferno. Shit was sexy as hell, but I also wasn’t going to let it blaze out of control.
I knocked on her door before opening it and walking in. She looked up from untying her shoes and grilled me.
“Get out, Montréal. I have had too much of you for a lifetime!” she spat.
“Nah, shorty. You haven’t had enough,” I challenged.
Quick reflexes meant that I caught the shoe aimed at me before grinning at her.
“You throw like a girl.”
She charged toward me, and I let her make it into my space before I whirled her around and pressed her into the door.
“Sexist,” she grumbled.
“I know you mean ‘sexy,’ baby,” I teased before pressing my lips against hers.
She opened her mouth…
…and bit the shit out of my bottom lip. I kissed her mean ass harder before biting her back.
“Ouch, Montréal!” she whined, smacking my shoulder.
“You started it, Thickums.”
I felt the smile she tried quickly to hide.
“How can you stand that crazy ass boy?”
I chuckled. “He’s a good kid. Real good kid.”
She scoffed. “Whatever. Get off me.”
“Now, you know you don’t want me to get off you,” I murmured, burying my face between her neck and shoulder.
“You were way out of line?—"
“Nah, you outta line. You don’t date, remember? I been tryna figure that little detail out. Is that a Texas rule? Shit different in Louisiana?”
Shorty had no quick comeback. Suddenly, she was super interested in the view of the Southern Magnolias outside the room’s huge bay windows. I cupped one side of her neck while I kissed my way up the other.
“You smart as hell, but I know it’s gotta be hard to keep up with all those rules, especially if they got geographic stipulations,” I said, my lips brushing over her cheek.
“My rules keep things neat,” she defended, pressing closer to me.
“Neat?” I smiled at her before sweeping her up in my arms. I carried her to the big, four-poster bed and gently tossed her on it. “Way I remember it, you like things messy, Love. I mean downright filthy .”
I peeled her leggings and panties down her thick legs as I spoke. I hid a smile as she lifted her hips to help me. Her breathing picked up. I knew she wanted me, and I was ready to make her scream this bitch down. I wanted to make her forget she ever knew a Heath McKinley, punish her for ever entertaining that nigga. Pulling down my pants, I teased her, rubbing my dick on her pretty, extra wet pussy. I smirked.
“All this fake outrage and your ass was turned on by that shit?”
She kissed her teeth. “I was not! I have no problem with your being mild-mannered, real-estate developer Real. This person who fights and has bodyguards and drivers and enemies and?—”
“Makes this pussy wet,” I taunted, pressing at her opening. “I don’t expect you to admit it, though.”
Her legs locked around me, pulling me farther into her, as she sighed. “Maybe some part of my brain that hasn’t been rewired likes your little caveman displays. Whatever. But you’re doing all this, being possessive and crazy, and for what? We didn’t even have that kind of relationship?—”
“I’m trying to have that type of relationship!” I thundered.
Shit! I hadn’t meant to say the words, but they were true. For months now, they’d been true, even as I tried to run from it. My declaration hung between us as I stopped mid-stroke, and she stared up at me, mouth open. Love recovered first, rolling her hips until they met mine.
"Just fuck me, Montréal," she whispered.
Her words deflated my dick. I realized that if I kept fucking her without convincing her of my intentions, this was all I was going to get. As good as it was, it was no longer enough. Shaking my head, I pulled back, withdrawing from her. She frowned, propping herself up on her elbows.
“What are you doing?”
“You take the whole package, or you get none of it,” I told her, sliding my briefs back on.
“So, you not fucking me no more?”
“Nope.”
She huffed as she rolled her eyes. “Montréal, please,” she mumbled, disbelief evident in her tone. Lips pursed, she watched me get dressed.
I laughed softly, kind of insulted. Shorty acted like my dick ran me. It didn’t, at least, not when something this serious was at stake. I wanted her, and not just for some arrangement by her rules. Love was mine. She crawled across the bed, then moved to sit on her heels. Her hands went to my waistband.
“So, you don’t want to finish what you started?” she teased.
I grabbed her fingers and circled her neck with my other hand. Leaning down, I kissed her slow and deep before pulling away.
“Real—”
Good. I had her attention. “That’s exactly what I’m doing. You choose to believe I’m playing. I keep showing you that I don’t play about you, Love. And you about to stop playing with me.”
Turning, I walked away. It was hard as fuck when I thought about her so wet and ready.
But fuck it; a nigga had integrity.